'Emergency situation': Victims of rape wait a year for counselling

Regional rape crisis centres are facing an emergency situation, the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland said. Picture: Photocall Ireland

Survivors of sexual violence can wait well over a year to be assigned a counsellor as chronic underfunding results in long waiting lists, rape crisis centres have said.

Regional centres are facing an “emergency situation”, the Rape Crisis Network of Ireland said, with demand for services around the country increasing exponentially.